Why Are There Two Death Certificates and What is the Difference Between Them?
Why are there two death certificates, and what is the difference between them? We are often asked, one from the doctor and one from the registrar. I’m Simon Welham, I’m the owner and managing director of Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials here in Tunbridge Wells and across West Kent and south east London. Well, there aren’t two. The first one is from the doctor and it certifies the cause of death.
And it’s title is that full title is actually the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death or MCCD. That is passed either electronically or in paper form to the registrar who enters the cause of death and then the deceased into the register of deaths as part of the births marriages death procedure. He will issue you a certified copy of the entry of death.
And that is the piece of paper that you need to use for probate and other purposes. So there aren’t merely two death certificates they are both colloquially known as such, but they have different purposes and they come from different sources. So that’s Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials, help at an emotional time.
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As a family-run, independent funeral director with over 30 years’ experience, we have noticed the steady drift towards cremation when families are arranging a funeral. However, burial or cremation remains a deeply personal choice, so this guide will help you understand the differences, costs and considerations before you decide.
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